The Tie to Happiness
by del arco iris
Summary: Jacob was acting strange, and Bella wanted to know why her best friend left her like that. She confronted Jacob, but got imprinted by a hot werewolf in the process. Mid New Moon, non canon. T for language.


**A/N: hi everyone! I know, I know, I suck for reposting the first chapter... But it's an improved one :) I know I promised to try posting the second chapter on Saturday, but I really did try you see. I got sick and am having a major writer's block. Anyway, those words are mostly from my awesome beta anita****blakefan2007... awesome as always :)  
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**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer does.**

"Go. Stay away from La Push. You don't belong here." Jacob hissed venomously.

"What?" Bella asked, trying to comprehend the words coming out of her supposed best friend's mouth.

"You're pathetic. You shouldn't be here, stupid leech loving paleface," spat Jacob.

She stared at him while her mind processed the meaning of the cruel words being said. She gasped when it finally became clear.

Jacob hated her.

She reached outto touch him but he moved back harshly, causing her to fall. Jacob didn't look at her as he turned away; he didn't even glance back before he ran into the woods. As much as Bella wanted him to look at her, she didn't want him to see her cry so it was a surprisingly good thing that Jacob never looked back.

Bella continued to stand there, staring at the last place Jacob stood, not willing to believe that Jacob could hate her. After all, he'd promised. He had promised that they would be together forever; that he would be the one who beat the crap out of Mike if he tried to touch Bella. If she felt uncomfortable with Mike, Tyler, Eric, or any of the guys at her school then Jacob would interfere and be her hero. Jacob had promised that they were best friends, and she knew that Jacob would die to protect his best friend.

It seemed like none of those promises mattered. It seemed that promises weren't sacred to anyone but promised, Edward promised. The most important men in her life promised her that they would be there for her, and then they both left her. Bella started crying harder until she heard someone from Sam's gang approach. _As he held out a hand to help her stand, Bella blinked in confusion as she saw him._

Bella had to strain her neck to see all the way up to the male's facesix feet above her. At first she only noticed the dark skin, reminding her of Jacob and the recent pain he had inflicted on her with his next attributes that stood out were his Quileute tattoo and black hair that looked soft. He was gorgeous! And then she looked straight into his beautiful dark brown eyes. In that instant, her whole world shifted. She instinctively knew that she would love him and he would love her. She fell into his eyes and immediately in love; in love with those soul-penetrating eyes. Bella shook her head rapidly. No, she couldn't love this guy. She was Edward's mate. She realized that she thought about Edward without falling apart, although she had spent months wallowing about Edward. However, one look from this unfamiliar guy flattered her. _Perhaps he's a ladies' man and has this effect on everyone, _she thought, _maybe this charisma makes most girls want to be with him_. She was probably no exception, and Bella was glad to know that she was finally like 'most' girls.

Shaking her head to get rid of thoughts about how handsome the man in front of her was_, _Bella began to get her forgotten anger back. After all, this guy was one of the jerks who had stolen Jacob from her and that made him enemy number two (right after Sam, who held the first spot in the enemy list). As if driven by her thoughts, Bella's hand reached out and she felt skin against it as she slapped the Quilete. She had no energy so she knew it hardly hurt him. "What did you do to Jacob?" she cried out pitifully.

The guy started shaking, small tremors that grew to full blown spasms in a matter of seconds. He growled hatefully at her and Bella realized that she was about to fall apart because this stranger looked like he hated her. She wanted to cry; she wanted to run; she wanted to die. Surprisingly above all other actions, she wanted to calm him. Her hand slowly moved to his cheek again, not to strike but to stroke. She stopped in mid-motion when she heard Sam yell.

"Bella, get away! He's dangerous right now! Paul, don't-"

But it was too late. The stranger, Paul, shook even harder; shook so hard he seemed to be getting bigger and bigger and then suddenly a wolf was sitting where Paul had been a second before. It was a beautiful sight to see, this enormous silver wolf. It had such a menacing demeanor that Bella didn't even dare breathe. She stole a peek at the wolf's eyes and saw familiar dark brown eyes. They were the same eyes that stole her attention, stole her heart. They were Paul's eyes.

Those eyes were the last thing Bella saw before she blacked out.

0

Paul felt pity for the paleface. She had run with vampires and believed they would actually be there for her, but of course they weren't. People shouldn't believe anything that sparkles and sucks blood. It was stupid. She looked horrible. She was crying her eyes out and mumbling, "he's gone" over and over again. She'd said the same thing the night that Sam found her in the woods, the night the leeches had left. But that had been months ago; was she still not over that? Then Paul remembered seeing Jacob walk away from this spot a moment ago.

Realizing she was heartbroken because his brother had essentially broken up with her, Paul slowly walked over to her and pulled at her arms gently. Humans shouldn't be hurting because of heartbreaks. As much as he hated her, he didn't want this girl to think that every guy was a jerk. Maybe it was for his own benefit; even if she was a paleface, she was hot and he was a self-proclaimed ladies' man.

Paul couldn't help but look at her. He wanted to enjoy her beauty, her pure innocence. But when he reached her eyes, everything changed. Nothing mattered, but her. She became a gravitational force that seemed to affect only him; this crying, leech-loving girl was suddenly the only thing that held him to the earth. He wanted to take care of her, to stop her crying. He yearned to hold her and say that nothing would hurt her physically or mentally, that he wouldn't let anything happen.

In that moment, Paul imprinted on her. In that instant, he found himself wanting the imprint to take effect; he really wanted a relationship with this paleface to work out. But he couldn't do that, not with Bella Swan the leech lover. He hated bloodsuckers. He really hated those Cullens, they had taken his humanity from him. He was forced to share his mind, his body with a beast and he didn't like it one bit.

The hate he felt for the Cullens helped him to think more clearly. He didn't want to be bound to someone who was attached to those leeches. Knowing the strongest pull to the imprint was in making her happy, that her happiness became the number one priority, Paul rationalized that Bella would be happier with someone more handsome, more faithful. Someone who was not a monster, someone who would not be stuck in La Push forever_. _That someone was definitely not Paul. Jacob was a nice, loving, happy-go-lucky guy, although a werewolf and a bit lazy. It was common knowledge that the relationship would work out if Bella and Jacob tried. Paul knew that. He wanted her to be happy, and he would see to it that she would be. Even if it was with Jacob, even if he had to fight the imprint, even if he had to spent the rest of his life miserable.

Out of nowhere Paul felt a sting on his cheek when the feisty girl stretched her hand out and slapped him. Yet the pain on his cheek was nothing compared to the pain in his heart; the girl didn't want him. She asked something about Jacob and broke out into tears. Jealousy filled him but he kept it buried deep inside, knowing that strong emotions could force him to change into the wolf he despised. He didn't want to hurt his imprint. He didn't want to. He wanted his imprint, his heart cried. His wolf howled miserably when he thought about Jacob and Bella together. Instead of looking scared or nervous, the girl seemed like she wanted to hug him, to calm him. Bella herself proved it by trying to place her hand on Paul's cheek, but the pack's Alpha Wolfhad to ruin the moment.

"Bella, get away! He's dangerous right now! Paul, don't-!"

Paul was furious, there was no chance in hell he would hurt his imprint! His wolf roared inside his head, asking for a bit freedom. Paul tried to fight it but he lost. He exploded into a wolf, but he finally was in control. He didn't want to hurt Bella! He told his wolf and it calmed down. Paul tried to check Bella's condition. She was staring at him, eyes wide; she didn't even look like she was breathing. And when their eyes did finally meet, Bella fell over in a faint.

**A/N: It had a few changes... anitablakefan2007 is a great beta isn't she... my story seems so cool now. anyway, Merry Christmas! I am so late, but whatever... Thanks for reading **


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